


The Boy in the Blue Dress

by xiulaces



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, cinderella!AU, ft sekai being lil turds, tiny side xiuhan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-12-30 10:05:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12106356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiulaces/pseuds/xiulaces
Summary: Kyungsoo loses a bet against his brothers, forcing him to go to the Royal Ball disguised as a girl. Unfortunately for him, he's just the Prince's type.





	The Boy in the Blue Dress

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the mods for being so patient, and for my prompter for this lovely idea, I hope I did it justice. Enjoy!

The town square is livelier than usual, Kyungsoo notes as his family pushes through the crowd, his hand holding loosely to his younger (but taller) step brother’s shirt so as to not get separated. He sees some girls giggling excitedly as they brush past him, and another guy practically hyperventilating as he nervously goes in the same direction. 

“What’s got everyone so worked up?” Kyungsoo yells at his step brother Jongin, “I doubt people are that excited about going to the market.” 

Jongin shrugs, turning to their other step brother, Sehun, “Hey do you know what’s going on? You’re always in on the gossip.” 

“Am not!” Sehun gasps, faking offense and looking disinterested as usual, “But it’s been said that there’s going to be a royal decree today, and since the Prince’s twenty-fifth birthday is soon, people are hoping that a party will be announced, as per tradition.” 

Jongin nods in excitement. “I heard the King’s twenty-fifth birthday party was amazing! And we’re old enough to go to the Prince’s! How fortunate. Maybe we’ll be able to capture prince Baekhyun’s attention,” he states jokingly. 

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at his brothers, it was no secret that the two boys were amongst the most handsome in the town, and they knew it, but they weren’t really that interested in anything except causing mischief. 

“Or maybe Kyungsoo here is more of his type,” Sehun winks teasingly at his older brother, to which Kyungsoo snorts. 

Jongin sticks out his tongue at him, “Stop acting like you aren’t cute Soo. It runs in the family.” To which Sehun nods in agreement.

Kyungsoo looks at his brothers with the most serious face he can muster, “We’re all adopted.”

Sehun fakes a dramatic gasp, but Jongin isn’t listening, “Guys I think I see the prince’s advisor! Can we go look?” Neither of them could say no to their middle brother’s puppy eyes (he might as well be the youngest), so they head towards the town center. 

The prince’s advisor and right-hand man, Kim Minseok, was well known and liked throughout the town. He was very kind and charismatic, and Kyungsoo has to admit that he is handsome, even though he resembles a cat; Kyungsoo personally likes dogs better. 

Minseok is standing on the platform, his mouth curving into a grin as he waits for the crowd to gather. 

“Hear ye! Hear ye! Good morning fellow citizens! I come today with an announcement from the King!” he started, a silence immediately falling the crowd as he captured everyone’s attention, “As you all know, it is our country’s tradition to host a ball if the heir to the throne has not picked a spouse by the age of twenty-five. Therefore, I am here to formally invite all eligible citizens to attend the ball. It will be hosted in a fortnight, on the night before the Prince's day of birth, so we can all celebrate the stroke of midnight together. So, come by, come all, have fun, and enjoy the event! And try your chance at being part of the royal family." Minseok finishes with a bow, rolling up his scroll and stepping off the platform as the crowd erupts into applause and talk. Kyungsoo pulls his brothers away quickly, slipping away before the excited crowd got too rowdy. 

"Jongin! Sehun!" One of their friends, Seulgi calls to them as she pushes through the crowd. She waves at Kyungsoo enthusiastically when she spots him, "Will I see you three at the ball?"

Jongin winks at her playfully, "You bet!"

Seulgi laughs, "Can't wait! If you need any help getting ready let me know!" She waves goodbye as she heads the other way, probably on her way home to tell her mom the news.

Kyungsoo squints at Jongin, stopping once they find a clearing, "Don't tell people I'm going to the ball when we all know I'd rather die." His younger brothers instantly start whining.

"But you have to go Soo," Sehun says.

"It won't be fun without you," Jongin chimes in.

"Nope," Kyungsoo is stubborn. He hates going to big social events with lots of people- he would much rather stay at home than try to dodge collapsing drunks all over a room. Besides, the event was meant to introduce Prince Baekhyun to the citizens, in the hope that one of them catches his eye. And Kyungsoo knew he wouldn't be the one, so what was the point of going through all that effort? 

Jongin stops in front of him suddenly, hands on his hips and lips in a pout. He sets his eyes on Kyungsoo firmly as he speaks, "What will it take for you to go?" 

"For the prince to invite me himself probably," Kyungsoo saying, pushing past his brother.

"What if we make a bet?" Sehun steps forward, a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

"What kinda bet?" Kyungsoo asks warily. 

"It's simple, we race home. If Jongin wins, you go to the ball. If you win, you don't." Sehun explains. 

"Ok-" Kyungsoo starts to agree.

"But!" Sehun interrupts, "If _I_ win, you go to the ball. Dressed as a girl." 

Jongin bursts out laughing, and Sehun looked like he could hardly contain himself as Kyungsoo gapes at them in shock. Against Jongin, he knew he could easily win. While his younger brother had excelled in dance, Kyungsoo knew he had no stamina for anything else, especially running. But against Sehun? His youngest brother was known for being one of the fastest runners in their village.

“Isn’t that a little unfair, Sehun?” Kyungsoo asks, still incredulous. 

“Aw why? Scared you’ll lose?” Sehun taunts, “If you don’t want to you have to go. It’s an immediate surrender.” 

Kyungsoo hesitates, gnawing on his lip as he considers his options. 

 

Jongin nudges him on the side, a teasing smile on his face, “All you have to do is win Soo. Unless you actually want to g- Hey!” 

Kyungsoo bolts before Jongin is even done talking, laughing as the rushing wind drowns out his brothers’ indignant shouts as they rush to catch up to him. He hears Jongin faintly call out to Sehun, “Go on without me!” causing Kyungsoo to laugh at his dramatics. One down, one to go. 

“You’re playing dirty Kyungsoo!” Sehun yells, dangerously close. But Kyungsoo didn’t dare turn around, dodging pedestrians as he sped up a little bit. 

“You didn’t mention any rules! Anything’s fair!” Kyungsoo calls back, leaping over a rolling watermelon and wheezing an apology to the lady chasing it. 

Sehun laughs, “Anything?” Kyungsoo feels a sense of dread fall onto his stomach, but he plunders on, just two more turns, and he would win. He can practically smell his mother’s bread in the wind that rushes past him, his lungs working hard as he inhales rapidly, his heart thundering as he increases his speed. He can hear Sehun’s footsteps behind him and he moves to the right, intending to close Sehun off before they turn the corner. 

“Wrong move Soo,” He hears Sehun say from behind his left shoulder before he feels a body slam into his side, knocking him into some flour sacks their neighbor had left out this morning. He gets up quickly, shocked at the impact but still leaping up after Sehun, his survival skills on overdrive but it’s too late, Sehun had already reached their house. 

He slows to a jog as he draws closer, the pout on his face contrasting the sheer glee on his younger brother’s. “What the hell Sehun?” He screeched, rubbing some flour off his cheek. 

“You said anything was fair!” Sehun laughs dodging Kyungsoo’s half-hearted attempt to grab him. Jongin strolls up to the house at that moment, having taken his time. 

“Who won?” He asked when he got to where the two were quarreling. 

“Who do you think?” Sehun smirks, wincing when Kyungsoo manages to land a smack. 

Jongin bursts out laughing, “You have to cross-dress now Kyungie!” 

Kyungsoo turns red and grabs one ear from each of the taller boys, pulling their heads down slightly, ignoring their protests, “Over my dead body.” 

“A deal’s a deal Soo!” Sehun argued. 

“Yeah you can’t back out now!” Jongin adds, “No one will be able to tell it’s you, we promise it won’t be horrible. We’ll get Seulgi to help so you look believable!” 

Kyungsoo sighs and lets them go, huffing as they rub their ears. “No one will know?” He asks. 

“Nope. We’ll make you look good,” Sehun says with a wink. 

Kyungsoo bemoans his life, knowing he couldn’t back out of a bet no matter how ridiculous it was. “Fine,” He conceded quietly, walking inside. He hears his brothers whooping outside as he greets their dad who’s tending to the bakery on the first floor and walks to the back where their mom is making more bread, giving her a quick hug. 

“Did you boys have fun today?” She asks him as she hands him a freshly baked bread roll. 

Kyungsoo scoffs, “You could say that.” He munches on his bread quietly as he looks out of the window, noticing his brothers heading back towards the market. He clears his throat and turns back towards his mom, “There’s going to be a ball again, for the Prince’s twenty-fifth birthday.” 

She stops what she’s doing, looking up with wide eyes, “Really? Are you boys going to attend?” 

Kyungsoo nods, “All eligible bachelors and bachelorettes are invited, so of course Jongin and Sehun would want to go.  
”  
“But do _you_ want to go Kyungsoo?” His mom pries, looking at him carefully.  
Kyungsoo considers it for a second, he knew he had made a big fuss in front of his brothers earlier but if he really thinks about it, he wouldn’t mind going too much. Minus the new cross-dressing aspect of course. He shrugs, “I guess I do. I promised the kids already anyways.” 

His mother smiles at that, “I’m glad you’re letting yourself have fun and experience the world Kyungsoo.” 

“I have fun all the time!” Kyungsoo argues, indignant at what his mom’s implying. 

She rolls her eyes, “You stay cooped up in the house for most of the year Kyungsoo, that hardly qualifies as ‘fun.’” 

Kyungsoo pouts, his frown only deepening at his mother’s laughter. “Ok Soo, I’ll stop teasing you,” she said, raising her hands in surrender, “When will the ball be held?” 

“In a fortnight.”

“Splendid. That gives us plenty of time to get you boys everything you need.”

 _Unfortunately,_ Kyungsoo thinks, dreading what his brothers were putting him up to. 

The rest of the week passes in a haze, with no mention from either Sehun or Jongin of their plan. They hid some mischievous smirks and he catches them staring at him sometimes, analyzing him. He was paranoid at first before he just comes to accept it. Whatever it was that they came up with he wouldn’t be able to change anyway. He ignores the lump by Jongin’s bedside, poorly hidden under a quilt that he could easily lift up. He likes to pretend he isn’t curious even though he stops next to it often when he thinks Jongin isn’t around. Jongin does catch him once tho, entering the room and looking all too satisfied seeing Kyungsoo’s hand resting on top of the quilt, feeling the fabric crease underneath. 

“You can look if you want to Kyungie,” Jongin says, leaning on the doorway. Kyungsoo feels his face redden a bit but he holds his head high as he resolutely declines. 

“I don’t care,” He says to his younger brother as he passes him on his way out. He hears his brother giggle and wonders why the sound isn’t as endearing this time. 

It’s two nights before the ball when his younger siblings make their move, barging into their shared room. 

“Ok Kyungsoo, here’s the plan,” Sehun starts settling himself on the edge of Kyungsoo’s bed while Jongin goes to sit on Sehun’s. “We have to make this believable so no one will be able to know it’s you. Besides us and Seulgi of course, we’ll be around to make your identity believable and do any damage control-- although hopefully there will be none to be done,” Sehun gives him a pointed look, “So you’re our cousin, Soonhee, and you’re here to visit from the next town over so we decided to bring you to the ball since Kyungsoo was being a party pooper as usual.”

Jongin cuts off Kyungsoo’s protest taking over the explanation, “‘But how can this be? She looks so much like Kyungsoo, aren’t you all adopted?’ Is probably going to be the number one most common reaction. We’re kind of hoping your blinding beauty,” he dodges a pillow, “And our charming good looks are enough to distract people for thinking so much about it; but if it comes down to it we made up a sob story so sad that people will stop asking.” 

Kyungsoo raises his eyebrows as Jongin positions himself by Sehun getting ready to break out the waterworks. His brother did always have a penchant for theater. 

“It’s… A bit touchy Mr. Bae. You see, our Kyungsoo wasn’t alone at the orphanage. But our mom didn’t know and… Well, it’s just good that they’ve found each other again,” Jongin wipes the single tear from his cheek. “So, what do you think?” He asks, turning eagerly back to Kyungsoo. 

The eldest stares at them, processing everything as he looks from Jongin’s bright and excited face to Sehun’s barely contained excitement behind his usual stoic expression. “Why Soonhee?” he finally settles on asking. 

“In case someone was to mess up and say ‘Soo.’ See? We planned everything out. Nothing is going to go wrong,” Sehun says before hesitating a bit, “And tomorrow we’re going to teach you how to walk like a proper lady.” 

Kyungsoo blinked, “You what?”

“Well _we’re_ not, obviously,” Jongin explains, “Seulgi is. Once we convinced her to help us she pointed out that you wouldn’t make it two feet in heels. So, she offered to teach you and you’re heading to her house tomorrow so you don’t make yourself look like a fool.” 

“I have to wear heels?” Kyungsoo asks, suddenly anxious. 

“Yeah, apparently, it’s an important part of fashion,” Sehun says, “Seulgi says the girls love to criticize what kind of heels the other girls are wearing so we got you the most special ones we could find.” 

“You guys are really invested in this aren’t you?” Kyungsoo points out, half amused half stressed. 

“Of course! We’re tormenting you, but we’re not going to let you ruin the family name,” Jongin says before frowning slightly, “The last thing we need to work on is your voice. You’ve got a really deep voice, so I don’t know how we’re going to mask that. How high can you go Kyungie?” 

Kyungsoo tries, clearing his throat and warming up with a few tones before speaking in an exaggeratedly girlish voice, “Is this high enough?” 

Sehun and Jongin burst out laughing and Sehun shakes his head, “Too much, try something a bit lower and more natural sounding?”  
Kyungsoo thinks for a bit, playing with the tones of his voice before settling, “And how are you boys doing today?” 

Jongin screeches before remembering their mom is asleep and toning down to a silent scream. Sehun gives him a wide-eyed thumbs up and Kyungsoo laughs, enjoying himself. 

“Do you want to see the dress now?” Sehun asks, pointing to the lump behind the bed, “We asked the dressmaker at Fairy Godmother to make you a custom one and it turns out she owes our mom something so she gave it to us for a discount.” 

Kyungsoo hesitates before he declines. He doesn’t want to face reality yet. He stays up for a bit longer after his brother’s bid him goodnight and settling on their own beds, contemplating his life choices up until this point. He doesn’t hate that he’s going to crossdress anymore and he appreciates all of the effort his baby brothers are putting into this prank, but he is anxious that someone will recognize him and say something. He’ll never live it down. He’s grown up around these people, surely someone would take a second glance. And what if the guards see through his guise and kick them out? They’ll become the laughingstock of the kingdom.

He gnaws on his lips, glancing at his reflection in the window and sighing dejectedly. He wasn’t anything special, he thought, looking over at his brother’s sleeping faces. His brothers were some of the most sought-after bachelors in town, whereas no one gave him a second glance. So surely no one would notice him as usual, and he would slip by the party without incident. He nods to himself, laying back down and falling into a fitful sleep. 

The sun shines on his eyes, causing him to squint as he glances up at the sign above him that reads _Kang’s Shoes_. He sighs as the shop door opens and Seulgi comes out, smiling widely as she greets him and beckons him inside. She’s chatting avidly as she leads them to her room, but he’s not really paying attention, deep in thought as he glances around the house and shop. 

“Kyungsoo.” He startles upon seeing Seulgi directly in front of him, her eyes curved in a smile as she looks at him. “Or should I say Soonhee?” She giggles, “It’s going to be fine Kyungsoo, you’ll see. I’m a good teacher.” 

Kyungsoo offers her a tight smile, “It’s not really that I’m worried about.” 

“Just believe in it,” Seulgi says, giving him a comforting hug, “And everyone else will believe you too. Like magic.” 

He felt himself relax a bit, Seulgi’s words putting his mind at ease a bit. She was right. He just had to make himself convincing and everything would be fine. “Let’s get started then.” 

\---

“High heels were created by the devil,” Kyungsoo concludes as he pulls off the ones Seulgi had brought him from her father’s shop to practice in. 

She laughs good naturedly, agreeing with him, “You did really good though Kyungsoo. You’re a natural.” 

Kyungsoo snorts as they make their way to the front of the shop, “I really respect anyone that has to put up with wearing those things all the time.” 

Seulgi pats his shoulder once they reach the door bidding him a good night, “Get some rest, Kyungsoo. I’ll see you tomorrow for the big night!” 

He waves at her as she closes the door, starting his walk home. HIs feet hurt, and he was still very apprehensive of the whole situation, the nerves springing up every so often. He was lucky his parents had left the town two nights prior for business, so they would never have to know. 

Everything would be alright. 

He is awoken by a loud sound, the noisy bustle of the town crashing down on his ears as he took in his surroundings. The sun shone through the window high in the sky, and he can see people running around looking busier than usual despite that a lot of stores were closed. 

Sehun barges into their room, plopping onto his bed and throwing a pillow at Jongin’s head. “Wake up sleepy heads! It’s the big day!” he announces. Jongin peeks his head out, squinting at the sun before yawning and stretching,eventually joining Sehun on Kyungsoo’s bed. 

“We have to get ready and go pick up Seulgi, get up,” Sehun whines, pulling at Kyungsoo’s blankets. 

Kyungsoo sighs, relenting as he feels the fabric shift further from him and standing abruptly. Jongin blinks at him sleepily as Sehun topples backwards from the loss of resistance. 

“Let’s eat and get ready then,” Kyungsoo mumbles as he rubs his eyes and heads for their kitchen, diligently making his younger siblings some lunch. He’s on his last bite when the reality of the situation sets in, his stomach coiling into knots. “I don’t think I can do this,” he whispers, putting down his spoon. 

“Aww but you promised Soo!” Sehun protests, “You lost fair and square, you have to do it.” 

Kyungsoo sighs, resting his head on his hands, “Why this? Out of all things?” 

Sehun shrugs, “I’ve always wanted an older sister.” 

Jongin laughs loudly, clapping his hands merrily while Kyungsoo remains unimpressed. He stuffs the last of his food into his mouth and stands to take care of the dishes. The boys head back to their room to start getting ready, Kyungsoo taking his time to get there. The sun is setting far too quickly for his liking.

Both brothers are sitting on his bed when he walks into their room, feeling better after washing himself. They had put on their shirts and pants already, Jongin’s still untucked while Sehun was almost done with his tie. Next to them however is laying the dreaded dress, and Kyungsoo feels sick again. It’s a rich blue color, the design simple, yet beautiful. Jongin grins as he brings the dress closer, its fabric rustling with the movement as he and Sehun help get it onto Kyungsoo. 

The collar on the dress was pulled to the collarbones in a slight v, so as to not bring attention to his (lack of) chest, but had a design that faked some volume where it mattered. The tulle on the skirt part started to fall at around his stomach, giving him a slim appearance and accenting curves he didn’t know he had. At first, he felt like he couldn’t breathe, with the way the dress pulled on him, but he eventually figured out how to keep oxygen in instead of wheezing. Sehun and Jongin looked at him, and then at each other before nodding and giving him a thumbs up. 

“As expected, our Soo can pull anything off,” Sehun says while Jongin fetches the wig. 

“We found this in mom’s closet,” he explains as he secures it on Kyungsoo’s head. It’s a short cut black wig with bangs, not too fancy, but it suits his face well, Kyungsoo thinks, staring into the mirror they had dragged from their parent’s room. “Seulgi is going to style it later when we get to her house,” Jongin says as he fixes some loose strands, “Let’s show you the shoes!” 

On cue, Sehun pulls out a box, removing the lid, “Ta-dah!” 

“Glass?” Kyungsoo questions, shocked. 

“Yes! We asked Mr. Kang for his most special shoes and he gave these to us at a discount since he said they weren’t selling well. Wonder why?” Sehun wonders, and Kyungsoo wants to slap himself. 

He puts them on very carefully, pushing away the excess fabric from the dress that’s in his way. He’s surprised at how sturdy the slippers feel, despite how delicate they look and steps on them tentatively. He waits while his brothers finish getting ready, lost in his thoughts as he stares at himself in the mirror in wonder. It’s not long before he hears the carriage pull up outside of their house, and he takes calming breaths as they gather their coats and head out; this was it. 

They arrive at Seulgi’s house without a hitch, the Kangs bidding them a good trip as they stared at Kyungsoo curiously. He lets out a breath as Seulgi closes the door and they set off again, “Do you think they noticed?” 

She shakes her head, assuring him that if they had they would have certainly said something about it. She pats down her yellow and gold dress, careful not to crease it as she pulls out some things from of a tiny bag that she brought, pinning some jewels onto Kyungsoo’s wig as she restyles it onto a neater bob style. She finishes by the time they’re halfway to the palace, the carriage trudging down a dirt road. The cart stops suddenly as they reach a narrower road, and the traffic becomes too dense. Seulgi carries on styling him then, applying some light makeup and sprinkling a bit of glitter, or as she called it, “Fairy dust.” Once she’s done Jongin hands him a pair of white silk gloves and Kyungsoo dutifully slips them on, still trying to calm his erratic heart as they slowly near the palace. 

\--

Baekhyun sighs as he sinks further into his chair. He’s positioned in the center of the ballroom, his parents both behind him on their thrones, watching over him and the guests. He hears his father let out a boisterous laugh as a count tells him something and Baekhyun rolls his eyes, observing the people milling about the palace. Jongdae announces the next family that enters, his loud voice booming over the hustle, everyone waiting for the party to officially start. 

He feels someone come to stand next to him, and he looks over to see Minseok. The older man offers him a goblet as they watch the eager townsfolk enter, all of them dressed to impress

“See anyone interesting so far, Prince?” Minseok asks, eyes trailing after a duke who had stopped by to wish the Prince a happy birthday. 

“There’s been a few, but no one that managed to keep my attention. I’ll try talking to some of them though, just to get my parents off my back,” Baekhyun says, looking over to where the performers were setting up. 

“Don’t lose hope yet, Prince,” Minseok says following his gaze, “There’s still plenty of guests left to arrive.”

Baekhyun groans at that, turning to look back at the guests quickly, knowing he’ll be scolded if he’s caught looking away for too long. A new family had arrived, two boys and two girls, one of the girls hiding timidly behind the tallest boy. 

“A Miss Seulgi, Mister Jongin, Mister Sehun,” Jongdae began. 

_Not bad,_ Baekhyun thought, I can handle tall and broody. 

“And Miss Soonhee! Welcome!” 

His heart stopped beating for a second, his vision tunneling in on the beautiful girl that entered the room. She was on the taller side for a girl, looking like she could be his height almost. She wore a blue dress that sparkled every time she moved, making her look like a fairy, the color bringing out the black in her hair and eyes; and they were the biggest, brightest eyes he had ever seen. Her lips were big and rosey, matching her soft complexion. He cranes his neck to keep his eyes on her as long as he can, knowing it would be improper if he gets up to go after her now. He tears his gaze forward once she’s out of sight, swearing to find her soon. 

Minseok taps his shoulder, pulling his attention towards his advisor. “Guess you saw someone you liked?” He questions with wide eyes, “One of the tall gentlemen?”

Baekhyun shakes his head, turning to where the shy girl had disappeared. “It was the girl in the blue dress.” 

Time seems to drag on until finally the clock chimes at six, and the royal family stands, officially greeting all of the guests present. The court jester, Luhan comes out, bowing to everyone as the orchestra adjusts in their seats, waiting for him to start singing. Baekhyun catches Minseok staring at the other man briefly, until Luhan sends him a wink, causing the adviser to turn his head forward again, a frown on his face. 

The King and Queen are the first to dance, as per tradition, and Baekhyun desperately glances around the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl before being forced to dance with a random stranger. He’d rather just pull Minseok out with him and risk the older man’s wrath than dancing with anyone not the girl in blue. Fortunately, he spots her in the far end of the room, and he immediately makes his way to her, not minding the whispers and stares that followed him. The girl is startled upon seeing him heading her way, causing Baekhyun to smirk. He bows down a little once he’s in front of her, her already wide eyes growing even larger as he extends a hand.

“May I have this dance miss?” He questions, watching with amusement as she looks around in a panic before hesitantly placing her hand in his. 

“It would… be an honor Prince” she says, coughing a little. He found it endearing how timid she was being as he pulled her to the center of the ballroom. They swayed to the beat a little, Baekhyun not wanting to push her since she seemed uncomfortable; maybe she was a bad dancer? She didn’t seem to know when to follow rather than lead, or where to place her hands. 

“Your name’s Soonhee right?” Baekhyun queries after people began to join them on the floor, gaining a bit more privacy since the attention was off them a little. He watches her face as they dance, stunned still by her beauty. 

She nods, chewing on her lip anxiously as she glances around. 

“Hey, he whispers, leaning in a bit, “It’s ok. You’re one of the most beautiful girls in the room. Don’t worry about the rest.” 

His words seem to set her at ease a little, seeing as her shoulders relax a bit as she blushes. “Thank you, your highness,” she says.

“How do you like the ball so far milady?” Baekhyun asks, twirling her around, fascinated by the glimmers stuck to her skin.

“It’s charming,” She responds, settling her hands back on his shoulders, “It’s my first time in the palace and it’s nice, I suppose.” 

“You suppose?” Baekhyun says with an amused smile. She really was unlike anyone he’d ever met before. 

“I didn’t mean to offend-” 

“No, no, it’s fine,” He dismisses her concerns, “The palace does get boring after a while.” 

“You shouldn’t depreciate your riches, prince,” She scolds him lightly, “Some people could only wish to be as fortunate.”

Baekhyun kicks himself mentally, not having meant to come off as a snob, “Yes, I do suppose you’re right. I apologize.” 

She nods, eyes sharp on him. 

They stay silent for the rest of the song, and Baekhyun is so close to her, he could count her eyelashes and the little moles on her ear and neck. He takes the time to memorize her, smiling when she can barely meet his eyes when she catches him staring. 

“I must get going Prince, it’s been a pleasure,” she announces stiffly as soon as the song ends, backing away.

Baekhyun blinks at the suddenly empty space in front of him. He looks around quickly, spotting Soonhee ducking behind a pillar towards the gardens. He turns to chase after her when he’s suddenly surrounded by a family of Lords, all of them eager to wish him a happy birthday and introduce him to their oldest daughter. Baekhyun reluctantly dances with the girl, counting down until the song ends and bowing to her before he set off towards the gardens. 

He steps outside, the cool night air hitting him like a brick in contrast to the stifling heat inside. He glances around quickly as he walks, noticing a few stray party-goers, some who were already too drunk stumbling past. He curses, for the first time in his life, how big the place is. Finally, he spots the blue dress, peeking out from behind a statue, a glass shoe discarded next to it. He approaches carefully, not wanting to startle his damsel. 

“Hello again,” he starts casually once he’s close enough, “Fancy meeting you here.” 

She jumps a bit, standing up quickly, “Can I help you with something Prince?” 

“Ah yes, I seem to have lost something. Can you help me find it?” 

She looks skeptical as she asks, “What did you lose?” 

“My heart, it seems a beautiful maiden has stolen it. What should I do?” he dramatizes, putting his hand on his chest for effect. 

She stares at him with an unreadable expression for a few seconds before reaching down to pull her shoe back on and walking past him, “Good night Prince.” 

Baekhyun balks, looking after her, “Are you really rejecting me? Twice?” 

“I’m sorry Prince,” she calls as she hurries her pace, not glancing back, “But we cannot be.” 

Baekhyun remains at the statue, stunned. No one had ever not accepted his advances before. But… she looked like she was having fun a bit, if he really thought about it, but she was holding back for some reason. That look she gave him, was the look of someone trapped. And he was determined to find out what was stopping her. He goes after her, pushing past all the people trying to get his attention, arriving at the palace entrance. He looks around, spotting her as she climbs down the stairs. 

“Soonhee!” He calls, following her down. She glances back and almost trips, one of her shoes coming off in the process. She doesn’t stop though, hurrying down, leaving the shoe behind. 

“I’m not interested your highness!” She calls as she climbs into the carriage, her companions already inside. The clock behind Baekhyun chimes midnight as he picks up the shoe, looking after the departing carriage in bewilderment. 

Minseok comes up behind him, out of breath, “Prince! What’s the matter? Why did you take off running so suddenly?”

Baekhyun looks around him properly, noticing the people whispering around the entrance, glancing curiously at the young prince. 

He fakes a cough, passing Minseok the shoe discreetly. “Keep this safe,” he instructs as he heads back inside the party, the midnight festivities starting up as fireworks are blasted into the air. 

His advisor follows him, confused but dutifully tucking the shoe into his coat carefully. 

“I found the one,” Baekhyun tells him quietly once they have a chance to talk, “But she got away.” 

Minseok widens his eyes, “What are you going to do Prince?” 

Baekhyun laughs, “Isn’t that your job? To tell me what to do?” 

Minseok blushes a little, regaining his composure and examining the shoe, “Did you catch the names of her companions?” 

Baekhyun groans, “There were two tall boys and another girl with her. One of the boys was quite pale and perpetually bored, while the other was on the tanner side and looked like he did nothing but smile. I didn’t get much of a chance to look at the other girl but no, I didn’t catch their names.” 

Minseok sighs, “Did you get your damsel’s name then?”

“Soonhee,” he answers instantly. 

“No family name?” Minseok questions. 

“Does it matter? She’ll be a Byun soon,” Baekhyun answers determinately. 

Sometimes Minseok hates his job. 

\---

He returns from town the next day without good news for the prince. 

“There’s no knowledge of anyone named Soonhee in town Prince,” Minseok informs him. 

The prince startles, sitting straight in his chair as he listens. 

“However, it seems that her companions are plenty popular around town as I found their names very quickly,” Minseok continues, “They are misters Jongin and Sehun, sons of the bakers. I will go down tomorrow and question them if your Highness wishes.” 

“I will go with you,” Baekhyun declares. 

It's Minseok’s turn to be shocked, “Prince are you sure?” 

“Yes,” Baekhyun says, “The sooner we find her, the better.” 

Luhan enters the room then, looking around before he spots the prince and his advisor. He grins and bows before approaching them.

“Prince, how lovely to see you on this fine night,” the jester greets him. 

Baekhyun nods carefully, expecting what he's going to say next. 

“But there's someone even finer right next to you,” he turns towards Minseok, winking at him. 

Baekhyun sighs, shaking his head as Minseok’s face reddens. 

“You dare be disrespectful in front of the crown prince?” Minseok says, maintaining his composure. 

“I’d do anything to win your heart Minseok,” Luhan says, looking him in the eyes, “Won't you accept me?” 

Minseok turns away muttering, “You're lucky the King is so fond of your songs, else you would be dismissed from the courts.” 

Luhan straightens a bit, but there was a hint of sadness in his voice when he spoke. “If only the person I love, loved my songs as much.” 

Minseok’s shoulders slump once Luhan leaves, a deep sigh leaving him as he deflates. Baekhyun looks at him in concern. “Why do you always turn him down?” He asks. 

“He’s just playing a joke,” Minseok says scornfully, “He is a jester, it’s what he does.”

Baekhyun watches him carefully, “That didn’t seem like a joke to me.” 

Minseok shakes his head, frowning, “I’ve seen him do this to others. Always wooing the people of the court.” 

Baekhyun hums, “I don’t think this is that. He seems sincere, maybe you should try speaking to him. A heart can only take so much.” 

Minseok glances uncertainly in the direction Luhan disappeared. “Perhaps I will.” 

\---

It’s been three days since the ball, and Kyungsoo’s starting to calm down a little. He’d been a mess after they returned home, constantly checking over his shoulder as if he would see the prince chasing after him, accusing him of having lied. He felt bad for rushing his siblings and Seulgi home early, but they were very understanding, and Seulgi had the sense to be concerned. His younger brothers would tease him whenever they could however, being constant reminders that the whole event had actually taken place, and Kyungsoo hadn’t imagined it. 

He sighs as he sits down near the well in the market, tired from a day of bartering. It really had felt like a dream, he thinks as he glances down at his hands, remembering the way the Prince had held them, as if he were precious. He closes his hand quickly and shakes the thought away. No need to remember the prince. He’d never see him again anyway. He stands, gathering his stuff, when he hears a loud noise and thundering gallops. He quickly turns and sees a few royal guards, the royal advisor Minseok, and another shrouded figure on horseback heading in his direction. Kyungsoo feels his heart drop to his stomach and he closes his eyes, fearing the worse when suddenly a hand grabs his arm, yanking him backwards. 

He’s breathing heavy as he opens his eyes to see the hooves of the horses continuing past him, no one paying him any mind. He watches their retreating forms, staring at the back of the person dressed in black. Kyungsoo hadn’t been able to get a good look, since the person covered everything except for their eyes, but the person feels familiar to him somehow. He feels a tap on his shoulder and turns to see Seulgi looking at him in worry. 

“Are you all right Kyungsoo? You almost got ran over by those palace guards,” She asks, glaring at the backs of the men. 

Kyungsoo smiles, “I’m fine, just got a little spooked.” 

“I wonder why they’re here again,” She wonders, “I heard that Advisor Kim was here yesterday too, asking people questions.” 

Kyungsoo turns to her in shock, “What kind of questions?” 

Seulgi shrugs, “Joohyun said they were looking for some criminals that stole something at the ball, but you know Joohyun tends to mix stories up. And I heard from Yerim that they were looking for some handsome lads that had caught the Prince’s eye. Which is silly because I know he was only all over you.” 

Kyungsoo looks down, “It wasn’t me. The prince wouldn’t have looked at me twice if he knew who I really was.” 

“Don’t say that,” Seulgi scolds him, “The prince would be lucky to have you. He seemed to genuinely like you.” 

Kyungsoo snorts, dusting himself off a bit, “It doesn’t matter anyway, we’ll never see each other again.” 

Seulgi frowns a bit, “Do you want me to walk you home Kyungsoo?” 

Kyungsoo shakes his head, smoothing out her forehead with his thumb and laughing, “Don’t worry so much about me, I’ll be fine.” 

Seulgi laughs, “You’re right, you’re older than me so you should be taking care of me instead!” 

Kyungsoo grins, “Yep, so if any pesky boys come after you, just call one of us over and we’ll scare them off.” 

“Will do,” She agrees, waving as she starts walking back towards the market. 

Kyungsoo heads back towards his own house, his purchases in tow. He notices a small crowd forming near his house and approaches carefully, looking curiously. The closer he gets though, he realizes the crowd is actually around his house, panic rising in him instantly. He nearly passes out when he sees the horses and guards from earlier waiting outside, while the mysterious man from earlier and advisor Kim were missing. He tries to get closer without being seen, but he couldn’t get through all the people, so he quickly darts towards the back. 

He peeks in through a window in the back of the bakery barely able to see inside. He manages to see his brothers standing with their back to the window, both looking very uncomfortable as they face the royal advisor and… the Prince?? 

Kyungsoo drops his vegetables and curses, scrambling to pick them up. His heart is racing, and he dry heaves a little, his thoughts going too fast for him to process. They’d been caught. They were going to get arrested, or worse. He shakily gets back up, looking in through the window again. His brothers had shifted a little, and he could see the Prince clearly now. He was pacing around the room a little, while Advisor Kim leaned against one of the less dirty tables. 

“So, what you’re saying,” the Prince spoke, and Kyungsoo strained his ears to hear, “Is that Soonhee is your cousin, and yet you don’t know where she lives?” 

Kyungsoo saw Sehun swallow as he nods, his impassive face serving him well in this situation, while Jongin’s nerves were more transparent. 

“And who was the other girl with you?” The Advisor asks. 

“Her name is Kang Seulgi, her family makes shoes,” Sehun shakily answers. 

Kyungsoo feels sick. They really got themselves into a mess. 

The Prince pulls something out of a bag tied around his waist, and Kyungsoo’s eyes widen upon recognizing his slipper. “Is her family responsible for making this shoe?” The Prince asks. 

Jongin nods rapidly, also shocked. 

Baekhyun hums and presses on, “Then there’s no one else that lives here, besides the both of you and your parents?” 

“We have an older brother,” Jongin blurts, and Kyungsoo sees Sehun give him a pinch from behind. 

Baekhyun raises his eyebrows, “And he was not at the ball?” 

Kyungsoo sees his brothers share a look before they both shook their heads. 

“He wasn’t feeling well-” 

“He wanted to stay in-” 

They spoke at the same time and Kyungsoo froze. 

Jongin speaks first, eyes wide, “He wasn’t feeling too well, so he stayed at home.” 

The Prince nods slowly, glancing between the two of them, “And where is he now?”  
Sehun grips Jongin’s arm behind his back quickly before he says anything. “Out by the woods,” the youngest says firmly. 

“Why would he be by the woods?” Minseok asks. 

“He likes to take strolls sometimes,” Sehun shrugs and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, they all know full well Kyungsoo preferred the indoors to anything, but the Prince didn’t need to know that. 

He hears a shout suddenly and startles, turning towards the source and hitting the window slightly, causing it to open a crack. He quickly looks back towards the scene in front of him, only to have his eyes widen upon finding four pairs of eyes on him, the Prince’s boring into him as their eyes met. He backs away instantly, bowing hastily to cover his face as he retreats.

“Well, I guess he’s back,” He hears Sehun mutter as he turns to run. Maybe the woods _were_ a good idea. He barely makes it to the edge of the forest when he feels a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to stop. Kyungsoo feels like he might cry. 

The hand slides lower, gripping his arm as he’s turned around. He looks up to meet the same eyes from earlier, the rest of his face covered by the black veil again. The man’s free hand reaches up to tear down the cloth, the Prince’s face coming into view, his eyes searching Kyungsoo’s desperately. 

“Who are you?” The Prince speaks finally. Kyungsoo takes a deep breath, panic rising in him. Should he come clean? Or continue with their story? 

“My name is Kyungsoo,” he opts for.

The prince releases his arm, closing his eyes in frustration. “What the hell is going on?” 

“I... have a sister you see, she’s a bit estranged and,” Kyungsoo stutters, trying to remember the story. 

“Cut the lies, Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun says angrily, and Kyungsoo doesn’t know why it hurts to hear the prince say his name like that, “A mysterious sister that no one else knows about or has ever seen? Tell me the truth.”

Kyungsoo lets out a little whimper, looking down in silence before nodding. 

“We didn’t intend for any of this to happen,” He speaks quietly, “It was just supposed to be a joke my younger brothers played on me.”

Baekhyun crosses his arms over his chest, studying him, “Go on.” 

“I lost a bet. And as a result, I had to go to the ball dressed as a girl. That’s the whole story. We meant no disrespect to the royal family, and I’m very sorry for having deceived you. I will take the full blame, and accept any punishment you chose,” Kyungsoo says, eyes still glued to the ground. He winces, bracing himself for what the Prince may do, but instead he’s met with: 

Silence. 

He looks up nervously, and meets the Prince’s eyes again. He’s still staring at him pristine brows furrowed in concentration, and Kyungsoo can do nothing but stare back. 

After what feels like ages the Prince finally moves, letting out a sigh before uncrossing his arms, tucking his hands into his pockets as he cocks his head. “I guess you could marry me, to make up for it,” he says. 

Kyungsoo’s eyes go wide as he almost chokes on air. “What?” He screeches. 

Baekhyun walks closer, slowly reaching a hand out to tuck a hair behind Kyungsoo’s ear, “What I’m trying to say is, I don’t care if you’re a boy or a girl. I fell in love with you that night, and this changes nothing.” He reaches for the bag still slung over his shoulder, rummaging in it and pulling out Kyungsoo’s glass slipper, kneeling in front of him as he holds it out to him, “I believe this belongs to you, my prince.” 

He’s stunned, watching intensely as the Prince removes his shoe, slipping the slipper on instead. He watches the way Baekhyun’s face lights up as he studies the shoe, “You see, it’s a perfect fit.” 

Kyungsoo takes a deep breath, mind still reeling from the Prince’s question, “I… But I lied.” 

Baekhyun pouts, hand still resting near Kyungsoo’s chin. “And I’m very much upset, but I’ll get over it. Although, I don’t think I would really mind if you wanted to crossdress every so often,” he adds with a wink. 

Kyungsoo steps back quickly, almost tripping due to the heel. He feels heat rise to his cheeks, “I need some time to think.” He takes his shoe back from the Prince, pulling the slipper off and handing it back to him. 

Baekhyun’s eyes follow him as he starts to walk away, letting out a whine, “You’re walking away from me _again_?” 

“I can’t think around you, you’re too loud!” Kyungsoo calls back. 

“I’ll be quiet for you if you ask!” Baekhyun responds, already jogging to catch up to him. 

“How about this,” he says once he falls into step with Kyungsoo, “You don’t have to answer me now, think about it. I’ll come around every so often so you can tell me when you’re ready to accept me.”

Kyungsoo looks unamused, “What makes you so confident I’ll say yes?”

Baekhyun grins, “Because we’re meant to be.” 

Kyungsoo scoffs, ignoring the smile tugging at his lips. 

Baekhyun tugs the cloth back over the bottom half of his face as they come closer to the town. They walk in silence for the most part, one of them occasionally commenting on something trivial like the weather. Finally they reach the baker’s household and Kyungsoo feels like he can breathe. The crowd has mostly cleared by then, the guards successfully shooing them away, with only a few stragglers left loitering. Jongin and Sehun practically run outside to meet Kyungsoo, both of them embracing him while simultaneously using him as a shield from the prince and Minseok who instantly goes to the prince’s side. 

Kyungsoo can see the Prince’s smile behind his veil as he looks at him, his eyes crescents as he speaks to them, “Do not worry. You will not be punished for what happened.” Kyungsoo feels his brothers relax behind him until the Prince continues, sending Kyungsoo a wink, “Yet.” 

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and Baekhyun laughs, Minseok and his brothers looking between them in confusion. “I’m sure your brother has many things to tell you, therefore we will leave you for the night. Farewell,” the Prince gives a short bow, climbing onto his horse, and Minseok follows a second later. Baekhyun gallops towards Kyungsoo, holding the bag from earlier out towards him, “Keep it. It is yours after all.” 

Kyungsoo hesitates before declining, lowering his voice a bit as he addresses the Prince “No, keep this one for now. You can give it to me next time we meet.” 

Baekhyun smiles widely at his words, his eyes radiating pure joy and Kyungsoo wills himself to not find it cute. “As you wish,” Baekhyun says, putting the shoe back in his satchel before leaning down to whisper, “My prince.” Kyungsoo feels heat pooling in his cheeks, stepping back quickly and bowing. He heard Baekhyun let out a laugh before he gallops away, leaving nothing but dust trails behind. 

His brothers instantly crowd him, bombarding him with questions and he waves them away, going inside their house. Once the door is locked and they’re safely inside, Kyungsoo slumps against the door, the day’s excitement catching up to him as he lets out a long sigh. How brothers are still hovering expectantly though, so he signals for them to sit down, pulling out some chairs for them. He waits until they’re both seated to drop the bomb. “The Prince has asked me to marry him.” 

Sehun falls out of his chair. 

Jongin gapes at Kyungsoo as if he had grown another head. “He what? he asks in disbelief as Sehun lays on the ground, still in shock. Kyungsoo hangs his head, a little embarrassed as he repeats himself, “He asked me to marry him.” 

“What did you say?” Sehun calls from the ground. 

“I said I’ll think about it.” 

“Kyungsoo!” Sehun and Jongin’s heads shoot up at once. 

“Did you just, say maybe… to the Prince?” Jongin wheezes. 

Kyungsoo furrows his eyebrows, “Yes?” 

Sehun passes out again. 

\---

Kyungsoo and Sehun were in the back making bread while Jongin tended to the customers, his charming smile being a strong selling point. The sun was already high in the sky, the rush from the morning winding down when Jongin runs into the back, wide eyes locking on Kyungsoo. “He’s here,” he mouths, signaling to the front. Kyungsoo wipes his hands hastily, cursing as he fixes his hair. He meets his brother’s amused smiles with a huff as he makes his way to the front. Sure enough, the Prince was there waiting for him at a table, veil and all. 

Kyungsoo slides into the chair in front of him, bowing his head a little as he greets him, “Good morning your high-” 

He gets cut off by a finger at his lips and looks at Baekhyun with wide eyes. The latter smiles at him before shaking his head, “Good morning Kyungsoo.” 

“Sorry,” Kyungsoo whispers, still a little dazed. But Baekhyun’s hand doesn’t pull away, instead moving towards his cheek before rubbing something there. “You have flour on your cheek,” he explains, and Kyungsoo wants to hide in a hole. 

The Prince stands suddenly, holding out his arm for Kyungsoo, a mischievous look on his face, “We should move somewhere where there aren’t so many watchful eyes.” Kyungsoo looks around curiously, there weren’t that many customers in the shop, and none of them were really watching them besides the curious glances at Baekhyun’s outfit. Except in the corner, behind the counter were two pairs of curious eyes peeking out. Kyungsoo snorts, sending them a wave as he links his arm to Baekhyun’s and they head out. He hears a squeak before both heads rush to hide again and Kyungsoo hopes Sehun didn’t faint again. 

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo walk in silence for a bit, Kyungsoo wondering nervously whether he should let go of the Prince’s arm, but everytime he makes a move to pull away, the Prince pulls him closer. They arrive at the edge of the forest, in a corner decorated by flowers of all kinds and Kyungsoo looks around in wonder for a second before elegantly sneezing. 

Baekhyun laughs as he leads them to a bench looking out towards the field. They sit, and Baekhyun asks Kyungsoo about his life. So he tells him about how him and his brother’s are all adopted, and his work at the bakery and how he actually really loved cooking. He blushes after a while, realizing he’s been talking a lot, which is unusual for him, so he quickly says, “I’m sorry. I usually don’t talk this much. I don’t know what came over me.” 

“It’s ok,” Baekhyun says, and the look that he was giving him sent Kyungsoo’s heart racing, “I like to hear you talk.” 

“Maybe I like talking to you,” Kyungsoo says before he can stop himself. He finds himself trapped in Baekhyun’s gaze as the Prince speaks again. 

“Kyungsoo. I was serious about my question yesterday. Have you thought about it?” 

Kyungsoo nods, “I have.” 

Baekhyun gets off the bench, kneeling down and taking his hands into his own, “So will you, Kyungsoo, marry me, Baekhyun?” 

Kyungsoo hesitates, gnawing on his lip, “But, you’re a Prince. Who am I to marry royalty?”

Baekhyun reaches up to tuck some hair behind his ear, stroking the side of his face gently, “You’re everything I need. And that’s enough for me.” 

Baekhyun really needed to stop doing these things to his heart or else he wasn’t going to live long, Kyungsoo thought as he looked into Baekhyun’s eyes. He really did like the other boy, he made Kyungsoo feel so comfortable and safe around him, even though they had barely met, and he could tell Baekhyun was serious. 

He took a deep breath before answering, “Ok.” 

Baekhyun leapt up, the joy barely contained in his eyes, pulling Kyungsoo up with him. “Are you sure?” the Prince asked quickly, practically bouncing, “I don’t want you to feel pressured. You can have more time to think if you want.” 

Kyungsoo shook his head, his mouth forming a heart as he smiled too, “I’m sure. I want to marry you, Baekhyun.” 

The Prince pulled him into a strong hug, as if he were afraid the other boy would slip away from him if he didn’t hold him tightly enough. 

Suddenly the Prince laughed, pulling back slightly with a teasing smirk, “Can I request that you wear a dress for our wedding?” 

Kyungsoo smacked his arm lightly, happiness filling the air as they laughed together, walking back to town hand in hand.


End file.
